74% want to take time to reduce nuclear power, survey says

TOKYO (majirox news) — Japan should reduce its nuclear power over time according to almost three-quarters of respondents to a Mainichi newspaper poll released Aug. 22, significantly exceeding the 11% who want to immediately do away with it.

In contrast to the 74% seeking gradual reduction of nuclear power, only 13% see no need to end Japan’s dependence on nuclear power generation.

Radiation from the leaking Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was also a concern for those polled over the weekend, with 71% worried either significantly or to a certain degree about food being contaminated, as opposed to the 23% who are only slightly concerned and 4% who are not bothered at all.

The same poll by the national daily found 56% oppose increasing the consumption tax to pay for social welfare and recovery from the March 11 disasters, against 41% who agree to increasing the levy from its current 5%.

The same survey also found support for Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s Cabinet dropped to just 15%, four percentage points lower than July and the lowest-ever since the Democratic Party of Japan won government in September 2009